AN OPINION ESSAY

PARAGRAPH 1
         Introduce the topic and give your opinion. Say whether you agree or disagree with the statement and
mention 2- 3 reasons briefly.
PARAGRAPH 2
         Give a reason to support your opinion or reason 1
PARAGRAPH 3
         Give a second reason to support your opinion or reason 2.
PARAGRAPH 4
         Summarize your ideas and repeat your opinion using different words.
 
WHAT YOU MUST DO WRITING AN OPINION ESSAY
1. Introduce each paragraph with a topic sentence, outlining the main ideas.
2. Do not write about advantages or disadvantages or points for or against.
3. Write in formal style.
WHAT YOU MUSTN’T DO WRITING AN OPINION ESSAY
1. Don’t use colloquial expressions.
2. Don’t use short forms.
3. Don’t use emotive vocabulary.
4. Don’t give personal examples.

EXPRESSING OPINIONS
In my opinion, ….   En mi opinión…
Personally, I think/ I believe (that)… Personalmente, creo que…
I strongly believe that…. Creo firmemente que…
It is clear (to me) that… Me parece evidente que…
I feel very strongly that… Siento firmemente que…
I (completely) agree/disagree with … Estoy (totalmente) de acuerdo/ en desacuerdo con….
It seems to me that… Me parece que..
As I see it, … Como yo lo veo…
To my mind…. En mi opinión,…
In my view,… Desde mi punto de vista,…
From my point of view, …. Desde mi punto de vista,…
As far I am concerned, … En cuanto a lo que a mí respecta,…
I am sure/ convinced that … Estoy seguro / convencido de que…
I (dis)agree with the statement, because … Estoy de acuerdo/ en desacuerdo con la afirmación porque…
GIVING REASONS
My main reason is…. Mi razón principal es..
Another reason is… Otra razón es…
One reason for… is …. Una razón para…. es….
Many people say/ believe that… Mucha gente dice/ piensa que..
Because… Porque…
Since… Puesto que/ ya que…
Because of/ due to… Debido a…
EXPRESSING FACTS
It is widely known that… Es ampliamente conocido que..
It is a well-known fact that … Es un hecho bien conocido que…
Research has shown that… La investigación ha demostrado que…
There are definitely… Definitivamente hay…
It is a fact that… Es un hecho que…
It is clear/ true that… Está claro que/ es verdad que…
For example/ for instance,... Por ejemplo,…
 
AN OPINION ESSAY

EXPRESSING CONTRAST (LINKERS OF CONTRAST)

ALTHOUGH (aunque) Although I was feeling depressed, I went to the party.
DESPITE (a pesar de) Despite the rain, I went to the party.
Despite feeling depressed, I went to the party.
IN SPITE OF ( a pesar de) In spite of the rain, I went to the party.
In spite of feeling depressed, I went to the party.
EVEN IF (incluso si) I will go to the party, even if I feel depressed.
WHEREAS (mientras que) Adults can make their own decisions, whereas teenagers have to
do what other people tell them.
HOWEVER (sin embargo) Mike is a very good singer. However, he can’t play any
instruments.
IN CONTRAST  
BUT (pero) Their music is very good. But, their lyrics are not very interesting.

ON THE ONE HAND….. ON THE On the one hand, they are extremely rich. But on the other hand,
OTHER HAND (por una parte…. por they have lots of debts.
la otra)
  

EXPRESSING PURPOSE (LINKERS OF CONCLUDING THE ESSAY

PURPOSE)
TO SUM UP,… Para resumir…
SO (THAT) (para) I have brought a
microphone so that the TO CONCLUDE,… Para concluir…
audience will be able to
hear us. IN CONCLUSION,… En conclusion…

IN ORDER TO We need to register with IT IS CLEAR THAT… Está claro que

( para) the council in order to
vote. IN SHORT En resumen…

TO (para) I am phoning to ask ON THE WHOLE En general…

information about the
event. ALL IN ALL,… En conjunto, en terminos
generals,…
SO AS TO(para) We all need to vote so as
to express our opinions.

  
 AN OPINION ESSAY

C.- EXAMPLES

“The teenage years are the best years of your life”. Do you agree?

People often say that teenage years are the best years of your life. However, I do not agree with
Opinion and
the statement because teens do not have complete autonomy, they have a lot of pressure about their future
reasons
and they are too worried about their physical appearances.

Firstly, most teenagers have little independence or freedom. They have to do what they are told
by their parents at home and they depend on them to go out with friends, in timetables and, obviously, to
1. Reason
get money.  In addition, when they are at school they must obey their teachers so they are never free to do
what they really want.

Secondly, teenagers may not have the responsibilities adults have, but they have other worries.
2. Reason Teenagers have a lot of pressure from exams, especially in the last years of secondary school, because they
can determine the rest of their life and the career that they will have in the future.

Finally, current teenagers are obsessed about their physical appearance. Most of them do not
3. Reason want to gain weight and they are really worried about what other people think about them, which, in my
opinion, makes them stressed, insecure and unhappy.

All in all, teenagers have a lot of fun, but I believe that the best years of your life come when you
Conclusion are a bit older, with a job, money and the freedom to do what you like.

“How important is the Internet in your life? Could you live without it?”

Most people think that they could not live without Internet nowadays but it is also true that our parents grew up in a
world without computers or websites. However, from my point of view, Internet is really important in everyday life
because it offers you information, communication and all kind of products from the commodity of your sitting room or
your mobile.

Firstly, it is widely known that Internet provides us with all kind of information from buses timetables, to available roads
or the weather forecast for the next 14 days. In addition, you can use the web to look for information about people or
events all around the world. Everybody knows that using Internet to search for information is faster than using an
encyclopedia and you can do it from your home.

Secondly, Internet offers us the opportunity of being connected to our relatives and friends everywhere. If you have
access to internet, you can talk or write to people all over the word no matter where you are. In addition, you can
communicate with your bank, your work or ask for a doctor appointment without living your house.

Finally, you can buy all kind of products on the web, from your supermarket list, to the tickets to a concert or a cheap
flight to Honolulu, all of them only with a click.

So to sum up, I think that Internet is essential nowadays and, although there are people who think that we should not be
so dependent on the internet, I strongly believe that I could not live without it any more.